I should have stopped her
by cooper159
Summary: A short fluffy one shot of how season 5 episode 13 'Bridge to Tomorrow' should have gone. Complete.


I do not own Rizzoli and Isles. Most of the characters in this story belong to Tess Gerritsen and TNT.

I would like to thank **Ava** for beta reading this chapter.

 **A/N:** This a one a wrote the day after season 5 episode 13 but forgot I had until recently. Just thought I'd try a fluff oneshot for a change.

* * *

 _"Jane." Maura's tone warned her best friend. The second they saw his car, Maura knew. She knew exactly where he was and she knew exactly what Jane was going to try and do, yet she never stopped her. She just stood there and watched, she stood there and did nothing._

 _"Stay here, I don't want to spook him." Jane held her hands out at Maura, a determined look on her face._

 _"Jane." Maura took a step forward, praying for once, just once, the Italian would listen._

 _"No, I know this guy well enough to know he's not bluffing." Jane snapped and stood forward, forcing Maura back, closer to the car._

 _"Be careful!" Maura begged as she watched every step Jane took, every move she made, every word she said._

 _"Paul." Jane whispered calmly, once she glanced back at her best friend, certain the blonde was going to stay exactly where she told her too._

 _"Listen to me, okay?" The brunette pleaded, as she looked down at the railings to see the man was standing, staring, and ready to jump._

 _"You're wasting your time."Paul mumbled, his eyes never leaving the water, never leaving his fate._

 _"No, no. J-just listen." Jane's voice broke when he moved forward slightly, she had no choice, she lifted one leg up._

 _"Jane-don't." Maura wanted to yell but her voice betrayed her. She knew if she ran, she could grab Jane, pull her back over, pull her to safety, but she didn't. She just stood and watched._

 _Maura could just see the top of Jane's head, once the brunette was over on the other side, she could see her best friend glance down at the water and back up at Paul. She watched as Jane spoke to him, certain she could save him, she watched as the brunette took another step closer and closer. She watched as Jane held out her hand and whispered comforting, persuasive words to talk him out of ending his own life. Maura felt relief flood every inch of her body when Paul nodded and took a step towards Jane._

 _That was, until he slipped._

 _"No!" Maura heard Jane's broken voice in the wind and saw her plunge forward as she tried to grab him but she was too late, he was gone. She vaguely heard the splash of water._

 _Maura was frozen, she couldn't move, she could still see Jane, see she was safe, see she was alive and yet she knew what the other woman was going to do, she knew her best friend was going to jump and still she did nothing. She watched as Jane took a deep breath before she threw herself over the edge and into the water. She knew she could have made it and saved her but she didn't, she didn't move, she didn't shout, she did nothing._

 _The moment the second splash rang out, Maura finally ran for the railing and screamed but it was no use, they never came back up, the current had taken them, taken Jane, her_ _Jane_ _._

* * *

"She never quits." Maura shook her head.

"She was determined to talk him off the bridge."The blonde hated how stubborn her best friend was.

"I should have stopped her." Maura looked down, she was ashamed of herself. She should have done more.

"There was nothing you could do huh?" Frankie assured as he rubbed Maura's shoulder. The Doctor tensed and shook the man's hand off, there was only one Rizzoli's touch she wanted to feel, and right now she was certain she wasn't ever going to feel it again.

"Still no sign of them?" Maura looked towards Korsak, hoping.

"Another coast guard boat has joined the search." The older man shrugged, he looked at Maura and saw how broken she was, how she hadn't left that bridge until she was practically dragged off, how she hadn't slept, how she hadn't eaten, how she hadn't changed her clothes, how she hadn't left.

"You heard from harbour patrol?" Frankie asked, pleading.

"They got divers in the water." Korsak whispered. Maura knew what divers in the water meant. They were no longer looking for Jane and Paul hopefully swimming out to an island, they were looking for their bodies.

"She won't survive very long in this cold water." The Doctor murmured and glanced back at the sea, its rough waves and strong current crashing into the rocks.

"I got to get on one of those boats." Frankie chose to ignore Maura's comment, his sister was alive, and he knew it.

"No, there's nothing you can do on the water." Korsak snapped, he was so mad at his ex partner.

"We need to continue coordinating the search, relaying information from here." Korsak led them over to a small table, covered in maps.

"Maura, did you see which way they were swimming?" Korsak asked, hoping to get as much information as possible.

"N-no. I didn't see them come back up; I-it was so dark." Maura's voice shook; she tried to hold back her tears.

"You know the currents around here, what are the chances?" Frankie asked, he needed to know. Korsak looked anywhere but at the other Rizzoli.

"People have gone in the water around here and been swept right out to sea." Korsak mumbled as he pointed down at the map.

"But they weren't Jane Rizzoli." The older man laughed, despite the circumstances.

"I can't believe I let her jump." Maura brought her hands to cover her face.

"You didn't let her!" The older man yelled.

"Their best chance is if they were able to swim to one of these outlying islands here." Korsak circled a number of islands on the map in red marker.

Both Frankie and Maura turned to face the sea and watched as the number of boats joining the search increased.

"Jane's a hell of a swimmer." Frankie turned to Maura, hoping to ease her.

"She could make it out to one of those islands-that Korsak circled." Frankie nodded looking down at the honey blonde.

"But what if she didn't?" Maura shook her head and fought back tears; she couldn't handle this.

* * *

The day went on, the sun had set high in the sky, the waves grew higher and bigger as they thrashed against the shore. Maura knew in another few hours the coast guard would call off the search and she would never see Jane again.

"Okay, thank you so much." Maura hung up her phone.

"Hey." Frankie appeared besides her looking at the Doctor.

"I called my friend at the, um, North Bay Marine Research Station. He said fishermen caught several red drum last week, which is indicative of warmer currents moving up coast." Maura said and a tiny bit of hope entered her mind.

"So, the surface temperature might be warmer, than the coast guard thought?" Frankie smiled.

"Yeah, it's possible." Maura whispered, _possible_ wasn't good enough.

"Which means she could survive longer in the water." Frankie nodded, he liked this information.

"She just has to keep swimming to one of those islands." Maura watched as one by one, the boats slowly started to head back to the harbour.

"If there's one thing I know about my sister, she won't give up. Janie will keep swimming." Frankie smiled.

"Hey, Frankie." An officer said as he straightened his hat.

"Yeah?" The other Rizzoli asked.

"A fisherman thinks he's spotted something. They're checking it out." The young man headed towards the dock, Maura and Frankie right behind.

Frankie, Maura and Korsak pushed past the crowds of people and stood at the top of the plank that led onto the small dock. Maura watched as a small fishing boat pulled into the harbour, two men caught the thrown rope to pull it closer to the wooden pier. Maura's chest was pounding, she didn't feel the cold breeze rush past her, she didn't heard the sounds of cameras clicking or people shouting, she could only hear her heart beat in her ears as she watched. She looked down at the ground, closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath, preparing herself for whatever she was about to see, exhaling she opened her eyes and nearly collapsed to the ground.

"Janie! Janie! Oh god!" Frankie shouted as he raced down the wooden platform.

Jane was standing there, barely able to walk, her legs wobbling with each step she took wrapped in a dirty, mustard coloured blanket, clutching it to her chest. Her hair soaked, her face pale and her body shivering as she looked at her brother. Maura felt her body moved down the plank, after Frankie.

"Come here." Frankie pulled his sister off the boat and into a hug, she barely hugged back, too exhausted.

"It's a good thing mom made us take all those swimming lessons when we were kids huh?" Frankie chuckled as he held his sisters face in his hands.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." Jane mumbled.

Maura stood there and watched as Jane finally looked at her, those dark eyes staring at her, slowly walking towards her.

"I've never been so happy to see you." Jane whispered as she collapsed into Maura's arms, clutching on to her. Maura squeezed Jane tight; she held her close barely able to swallow the words that were threatening to come out.

Maura pulled back from the embrace and didn't meet Jane's dark eyes, she held her hands out, close enough to touch the Italian's face but she didn't dare, she resisted, she looked at Jane and shook her head before she looked at the ground.

"I'll see you back at the office." Maura whispered before she walked away.

"Take good care of her." The Doctor mumbled as she passed Korsak.

She couldn't do it; she couldn't stand there and be so happy Jane was alive and safe before moving on with her life and acting as if nothing had happened. Jane had done it again; she had thrown herself into unnecessary danger to save the life of a suspect. She couldn't, she wouldn't do it anymore. She had done this too many times, she did the only thing she knew how. She walked away.

Maura didn't see the face that fell when she turned her back, or the eyes that watched her as she climbed the plank and she certainly didn't feel the heart that broke when she walked away.

* * *

It had been a day; a whole day since she found out Jane was alive and safe. A whole day since she walked away from the shivering Italian, a day since she'd spoken a word to anyone, a whole day since she replied to Jack's texts. She couldn't handle how she felt anymore, she couldn't keep doing this, she didn't know what to do anymore, and she couldn't stand herself for giving up on Jane and she couldn't stay almost losing her once again.

Maura sat in her office, in the chair that faced the window and door, she knew it was only a matter of time, she knew Jane wouldn't stay away; they worked in the same building after all. Low and behold, Maura heard her footsteps, those boots against the floor echoing down the quiet hallway, she knew it was Jane by the sound of the heavy steps. Maura looked up from her paper work when she felt the Italian's presence standing sheepishly in the door way.

"How are you feeling?" Maura broke the tension when Jane seemed lost for words.

"Okay." The detective mumbled and walked further into the room, hands behind her back.

"Tired, bruised." Jane shrugged before she stopped in front of Maura and held out a gold gift bag.

"It was the only thing I could afford without taking out a second mortgage so-" Jane explained as she watched Maura pull out the small bottle of perfume.

"It's my favourite." Maura shrugged; she placed it back in the bag and put it on the table, nearest to Jane.

"Okay." Jane sighed as she scratched her head and took a seat opposite the Doctor just a coffee table separating them.

"I know jumping in after Paul was dangerous." Jane started.

"Did you think about any of us before you jumped?" Maura's heart was beating rapidly.

"No, I didn't." Jane shrugged. Maura felt her heart break.

"I didn't think about you." Jane looked into those hazel green eyes.

"I didn't think about my family." The brunette shook her head.

"I didn't even think about myself. The only person I thought about was Paul and that I was the only one that could help him. I wasn't gonna let him drown Maura." Jane got defensive when she saw Maura shaking her head.

"I guess that's the answer I was looking for." The Doctor said sarcastically and stood from her seat as she headed to her desk.

"Maur." Jane followed her best friend.

"I was just afraid I'd lost you." Maura turned around so quickly, Jane nearly banged into her.

"I just kept thinking that I didn't do enough to help you. Why didn't I go and help you talk Paul down?" Maura rambled.

"Or why didn't I stop you from going over the railing?" The blonde shook her head.

"Why wasn't I closer to grab you?" Maura fought back the tears.

"Maura, there was nothing you could have done on that bridge okay?" Jane whispered as she reached out for her friend.

"That's on me." Jane gave a small chuckle and suddenly the blonde felt nothing but anger.

"You're damn right it's on you!" Maura shouted.

"Excus-" Jane tried.

"What if you had died?" Maura yelled, taking a step towards Jane.

"What if you had hit your head on a rock or-or drowned?" The Doctor's chest flushed red with anger.

"You would have left me! Left me to blame myself because I wasn't damn close enough!" Maura pushed Jane back when she tried to step forward. The Italian stood there, she understood Maura needed to get this out.

"Why did I just stand there and watch as you decided in that split second that none of us were important-that I wasn't important enough for you to have climbed back over!" The blonde pushed Jane's chest harder.

"Maura come on-" Jane took another step forward.

"Why the hell was-was I stupid enough to listen to you?" The tears came rushing down her face.

"You didn't even think about me-whe-when you're all I can think about!" Maura cried harder, her makeup smudged as she pushed Jane one more time before hands wrapped around her wrists.

"Maura calm down!" Jane yelled.

"No! You don't get to tell me to calm down!" Maura pulled against Jane's firm grip.

"Maura, come on, I'm alive, I'm fine-you're being ridicul-" Jane's voice was cut off.

"I am not being ridiculous Jane Rizzoli! I've watched you run into a collapsing building, be held captive by a psychopath, have a scalpel cut your throat! I've watched you shoot yourself and I've watched you jump off a bridge!" Maura screamed.

"I was just doing my job Maura!" Jane bellowed, her grip tightening around her best friend's wrists.

"I can't do this anymore, I-I can't stand by and watch you throw yourself into unnecessary danger because it's _your job_. I-I thought I could-but I've done it for five years and I can't anymore, not when you didn't even think of me before you jumped." Maura whispered, she gave up, she couldn't do this anymore. However, Jane's hold on her never released.

"I said I never thought about you before I jumped." Jane nostrils flared.

"But you were all I thought about when I was falling." Jane whispered, tears staining her cheeks.

"I-I was petrified, no-not of dying but because I thought I was never going to see you again-I-that I'd-" Jane's voice trembled as she tried so hard not to sob.

"That I'd never get to tell you how much I love you. H-how much I'm in love with you." Watery brown eyes looked up into broken hazel green ones.

Maura's anger seemed to vanish in a split second, she stood frozen to the spot, unable to move, she just watched as Jane's body shook as she sobbed, watched as the tears stained her red t-shirt, watched as the Italian's heart broke.

Until finally Maura found the courage to move; she brought her hand up to the tear stained cheek of her best friend and lifted her face. Broken, chocolate brown orbs looked up at Maura and her body shuddered as she finally managed to stop crying. Maura stared into those eyes, determined to convey everything she felt in the next second. The blonde took a deep breath and barely glanced at Jane's mouth before she brought their lips together.

The kiss wasn't passionate, it was a simple kiss to convey all the hurt, love, anger, desire and need the two felt for each other. Neither deepened the kiss but neither pulled back. They stood in Maura's office, blinds and door open for anyone to see, anyone to walk in but they just stood there, foreheads resting together, eyes closed and lips touching.

"I love you." Maura whispered as she pulled back, her hand dropped from Jane's cheek.

Jane shook her head, she wasn't having it, and she wasn't letting this happen, she couldn't let Maura walk away.

Both of the Italians hands came up to Maura's face and pulled her up slightly into a proper kiss. A kiss that was so full of need and desire, the two couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Maura's mouth opened slightly to allow Jane's bottom lip to slide between her own, her own hands came up to Jane's red shirt as she grabbed a fist full and tugged, needing to be closer to the other woman. Maura moaned when Jane's hot tongue ran across her plump bottom lip, begging for entrance, Maura sighed when she parted her soft lips to feel that same tongue slide into her mouth and seek out her own.

It was Jane's turn to moan as Maura's tongue pushed and slid against her own and the way one hand released the red material of Jane's shirt and found its way tangled in her hair, scratching her scalp to hold her in place. Maura's teeth scraped across Jane's bottom lip as she pulled back from the kiss, her lips swollen and her chest flushed. Jane opened her eyes and looked at Maura whose eyes were shut tight.

"You could have died." Maura whispered as she rested her forehead back against the Italian's.

"You could have died and I did nothing." Maura's voice shook.

"But I didn't." Jane mumbled as she brought her hands up to cup her best friend's face.

"I'm afraid if I open my eyes you won't be here. You won't be alive. Y-you-" Maura's whole body trembled.

"I didn't die. I'm standing right here." Jane kissed the blonde's left cheek.

"I'm right here Maura." Jane rubbed her thumb along Maura's jaw and kissed her right cheek.

"I'm right here." Jane kissed the blonde's lips softly.

"You're right here." Maura finally opened her eyes to see the brunette grinning stupidly.

"I'm right here." Jane whispered.

It was in that moment Maura realised Jane was right there. She had always been right there, she would always be right there. There was nowhere else Jane would rather be than right next to the Doctor who saved her life, the best friend who bettered her, the blonde who stole her heart, and the woman that _should have stopped her._


End file.
